Vladimir Lenin: Hero, Tyrant, Revolutionary

Few figures have shaped the modern world as decisively as Vladimir Lenin, architect of the first communist state and inspiration for revolutionary movements across the globe.

This course offers an in-depth examination of his life, thought, and lasting impact.

We will trace Lenin’s rise in three phases: his early radicalization in late imperial Russia, shaped by his embrace of Marxism and his brother's execution; his leadership during the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917; and his role in building the Soviet state until his death in 1924.

The course examines his key writings, including What Is to Be Done? and Imperialism, the Highest Stage of Capitalism , and his policies, such as War Communism and the New Economic Policy.

The course also examines his years in exile, his partnership with his wife, Nadezhda Krupskaya, and rivalries within the revolutionary movement.

Together, these perspectives illuminate the paradoxes of Lenin’s legacy and the enduring consequences of the revolution that shaped the modern world.